Seton Hall To Face Rutgers In WNIT Third RoundThe Pirates are making their first appearance in the WNIT Sweet 16 in what is their third WNIT berth.

Tony Bozzella

March 24, 2014

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - It will be a battle for New Jersey as the Seton Hall University women's basketball team will head to Rutgers University for the third round of the 2014 WNIT on Thursday, March 27, at 7 p.m.

Seton Hall advanced to the third round of the WNIT for the first time in program history by holding off Princeton University, 75-74, in a thrilling back-and-forth affair that featured 26 total lead changes on Sunday afternoon in Walsh Gym. Rutgers dispatched Harvard, 63-52, on Monday night in Piscataway to reach the WNIT round of 16. The Scarlet Knights, an at-large team out of the American Athletic Conference, are competing in the WNIT for the first time in program history.

Under the guidance of first-year head coach Anthony Bozzella, Seton Hall is enjoying its most successful season over the past two decades.

The Pirates are making just the sixth postseason appearance in program history, and the first since 2007. Seton Hall is playing in the WNIT for the fourth time, and the Pirates had failed to advance past the second round of the tournament in each of its last three appearances.

With its victory over Princeton on Sunday afternoon in Walsh Gym, Seton Hall improved to 20-13 overall, reaching the 20-win plateau for just the eighth time in program history and the first since 1995, a year the Hall advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Seton Hall finished seventh in the BIG EAST standings at 8-10 in league play, marking the most conference wins for SHU since it went 9-7 during the 2006-07 season, which was the last time the program received a postseason berth.

When the Pirates battle Rutgers Thursday night at the RAC, the team will tie the program record for most games played in a single season at 34.

Seton Hall and Rutgers are familiar foes, having shared BIG EAST Conference affiliation since the Scarlet Knights became full members of the league in 1995. Rutgers leads the all-time series against Seton Hall 32-9, but the Pirates snapped a 12-game losing streak to their in-state rival dating back to 2002 with a 45-42 win last season in South Orange.

Seton Hall will be looking for its first win at the RAC since a 69-59 victory on Jan. 20, 1996, and for back-to-back wins over the Scarlet Knights for the first time since 1996-97.